


Redemption of R: A Raditz Tale

by Kami_Sama



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-08
Updated: 2017-12-08
Packaged: 2019-02-12 01:57:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,022
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12948831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kami_Sama/pseuds/Kami_Sama
Summary: A simple story about an often suggested alternate universe: what if Raditz survived and joined the Z-Fighters? I seek to explore that possibility in this work while hopefully providing some measure of depth in my portrayal of the characters and Dragon Ball universe.





	Redemption of R: A Raditz Tale

The sleeping warrior roused from his sleep as electronic beeps and whistles bounced around the cramped spacepod- his scouter, the electronic eyepatch device that acted as his guide. Numbers danced around the screen, barely making sense as the Saiyan known as Raditz rejoined the waking world. Shaking off the chains of sleep, Raditz leaned forward in his seat and the inky blackness of space filtered through tempered, scarlet glass rose to meet him. The darkness, broken by the gem-like visages of distant stars, slowly lessened and lessened as another figure grew in the center of his vision, a muddle of green and brown: a planet that he was fast approaching. The heart in his armored chest beat faster and the brown-furred monkey tail that sprouted from his backside now wrapped tight, like a serpent, around his waist as anticipation grew in the back of his mind.

“I’m approaching the planet now,” muttered Raditz to no one in particular, “Rendezvous with Kakarot should be swift and we’ll be en route to rejoin the squad in no time.”

The Saiyan sat back in his seat and awaited a tinny response from his scouter, but none ever came. Instead, silence, only broken on occasion by the metallic pings or electronic chirps that were common to his spacecraft. Slowly, the motley globe approached. Raditz’s dark eyes remained locked on the approaching planet, occasionally flitting to focus on the dull green scouter screen that hovered over his eye. A heartbeat and for a moment, Raditz doubted the accuracy of the device. After all, it had been manufactured by and distributed to him by the Planet Trade Organization; said organization was notably unkind to Raditz and his ilk.

It had never been wrong before, and desperately Raditz prayed to whatever gods that might be that it was correct. The Saiyan berserker wanted nothing more than for it to be correct. The readings for the planet were odd- not what he had been expecting- but they spoke the telltale promise of blood, of family. “Kakarot,” he said in a low voice, barely aloud.

The brother had had never known. Raditz had met Kakarot once and only once, shortly after his brother’s birth and shortly before the untimely destruction and extinction of their people. A young Raditz had peered into the incubation pod that housed the newborn, artificially strengthening it with a puree of nutrients and other biological nonsense, and he had seen the spitting image of their father, miniaturized, sleeping in peace with an array of tubes and wires hooked into him to keep him alive. Raditz remembered regarding his sibling with boyhood wonder and enthusiasm; few Saiyans could claim to have full blooded siblings. They, after all, did not mate for life. From that moment, Raditz had taken an interest in the boy, even promising to teach him to fight when the babe had grown.

That had been, what? Two decades ago? Maybe a bit more? The timeline became hazy after the destruction of Planet Vegeta, marred and mixed with blood and debris as Raditz had begun a childhood and lifetime of soldiering. Like a warrior, time marched on, until the ghost of Raditz’s family seemed so distant that the Saiyan had grown coldly into his place as one of the last three Saiyans in the universe, reduced from glorious warrior race to nothing.

But now? A golden opportunity had arisen. Some time ago, the scouter had picked up some data floating in the deep of space and deposited it right on Raditz’s screen; his brother’s energy signature and space pod signal were still active. In secret, Raditz had told his compatriots- if they could be called that- about the signal. Prince Vegeta and Nappa, two Saiyan elites back from when there were enough Saiyans for there to be a division of classes. . . though Nappa and Vegeta certainly seemed to still indulge and play the part of the aristocracy. True to their part, the two had shown precious little interest in news of Kakarot’s survival. After all, he shared a bloodline with Raditz, the lowest of low class Saiyans. Why should they care? Still, the elites has acquiesced and allowed Raditz to depart for a time, to go and claim his brother and bring him back into the Saiyan fold. Raditz suspected they were just glad to be rid of him for a time.

The earth was now full and bright before him as he began his final descent into the atmosphere, his scouter becoming increasingly unreliable as he dropped further and further, closer to the planet below, the surface still teeming with life. That very fact was what confused Raditz; if Kakarot had done as he should have then there should be no life at all. He furrowed his brow, and the faded reflection of himself in the glass did the same, looking like a vengeful warrior ghost, the emissary of a dead race. A wild mane of black, spiked hair ran down and engulfed his body, running every which way in the pod, occasionally peeking out from his standard issue battle armor, decked out with assorted pads that ran out over his shoulder and down his legs. The perfect image of a destroyer, he thought. With some hope, the image would stir something in his brother and their reunion would be joyful. And if it did not? Raditz did not like to dwell on that possibility, but he was sure that there would be some way to reconnect with his brother.

Fire engulfed the pod as it streamed towards the Earth in a fiery arc not unlike a comet. It burst like a supernova through the pale blue sky of the peaceful planet, a clap of thunderous noise ringing out over the land as the pod finally smashed into the ground. The Saiyan warrior sat in his pod a moment, collecting himself, steeling his nerves for his impending reunion. Be fierce, he told himself, be the perfect image of Saiyanhood. With a final nod to himself, Raditz stood and his pod door cracked open, allowing unfettered yellow sunshine to light up the inside of his pod.


End file.
